Method of and apparatus for preparing soil for cultivation.



E. A. BOLDT.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR; PREPARING SOIL FOR CULTIVATION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. I913 Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

INVENTOI? E A. BOLDT i (hu M A TTORNEY WITNESSES ERICH AUGUST BOLIDT, OF DBESDEN, GERMAIIY.

METHOD ,OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING SOIL FOR CULTIVATION.

Specification of Letters Ia'tent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

Application filed June 6, 1913. Serial No; 772209.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, Enron AUGUST Bono'r, a subject of the German Emperor, King of Prussia, residing at No. 4 Helmholzstrasse, Dresden, Germany, have invented a new and useful Method of and Apparatus for Preparing Soil for Cultivation; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Deep cultivation or loosening of the soil has proved of great value, in agriculture, in fruitculture, gardening and viniculture, also 'in formation of-ponds and in forestry. Recently, explosives have been used-for these puiposeaespeciallyfor preparation of the s01.

The results heretofor so achieved may also-'beattained by the 'e'th'od' hereinafter described, and in addition I may also fertilize the soil, especially its deeper" layers,

and bring about destruction of animals harmful to cultivation, as well as attaining other advantages herein Pointed out.

The new method is distinguished from those heretofore proposed by employing the explosive charge not only to loosen the soil, but also to scatter throughout such loosened soil a material, preferably, a liquid intended to fertilize the soil, or destroy harmful animals or pests, or otherwise improve the soil. The kind or character of the liquid or other material will be determined by the results sought.

In practising the method, the charge and the mentioned material are buried together or adjacently into the soil to be loosened. Afterward the charge is, by electrical connections or otherwise, exploded; as a result the soil is loosened, and the loosened soil is saturated or impregnated with the liquid, or other material, scattered throughout or driven into the soil by the force of the exlosion. The charge may be inserted at any desired depth into the soil, depending upon the character and hardness of the soil, the pests therein, the material to be grown, and the liquid, fertilizer, or other material to be mixed with the soil. To assure the proper relation of the charge and material, and the speedy insertion of the same, I propose to use a cartridge or other holder housing the charge and the material.

Figure 1, of the accompanying drawings, is a View through a mass of soil, showing (in section) the cartridge ready for explos on'of the; charge. Fig.2 is'a top perspectlve view of such a cartridge.

The illustrated cartridge consists of a body A; of any suitable liquid-proof and- In use, a suitable'opening 'is made the soil, G,and-the cartridge is inserted therein; Earth or other' mater-ial, H, is then tamped upon the cartridge, and at the dc sired moment, current is sent over the wires It and E, exploding theeiia'r a shatter ing the container, loosening the soil in all directions, and the material, I), in compartmelnt B is scattered throughout the loosened s01 The material to be scattered may be a fertilizer of any kind; it preferably will be a liquid, such as liquid manure, bisulfid of carbon, or other material. Upon explosion of the charge, the material, b, will reach every part of the soil affected or loosened, and will saturate or impregnate the same. The liquid may be one which, when released from the compartment, becomes a gas or vapor.

If desired, the cartridge can be inserted in the openings leading to the retreat of rabbits or other animals, with the result that, upon explosion, these animals and other pests are killed, and the soil loosened and saturated with the enriching material.

A number of cartridges can be simultaneously or successively exploded, reducing the cost.

The new method has many advantages as compared with those heretofore followed for impregnation of soil with liquids, for instance. In some cases, for combating or destroying phylloxera, and in also for regeneration of vinicultural lands, bisulfid of carbon has been simply poured into holes, and the holes then closed. However, the

gases of the bisulfid can penetrate but a small distance into the surrounding earth, which is often quite hard. To overcome this, many holes, separated by only very small distances,.must be made and filled;

even then the 'work'is not complete or satis factory, is tedious, and costly for labor and It is also dangerous, owing to material.

the ready inflammability of the bisulfid in the presencof air. I i

In my method, these disadvantages are overcomefbyproviding the liquid in closed a and easily-placed receptacles, the liquid is distributed (by the explosion) over the greatest possible area, and the soil-is simul 1 trees, etc.

I claim: 1. The herein described process of pre paring soil for cultivation, said process consisting in placing an isolated charge containingfertilizing material below the surface of the soil, and causing an explosion within said charge tovsimultaneously loosen Gopiesof this patent may be obtaihed for five cents each, by addressing the fiommissioner of Patents,

the soil and to commingle the fertilizing material therewith.

2. The" herein described process of preparing soil for cultivation, said rocess consisting in placing a quantity 0 fertilizing H material below the surface of the soil, and

causing an explosion-adjacent to said 'fertilizing material, to simultaneously loosen the soil and to commingle said fertilizing material therewith,

8. An apparatus for use in preparing soil for cultivation, ,said device COIIlPllSlDg means Ifor holding fertilizing material belowthe surfaceof the soil, and also comprising means for causing an explosion adjacent to and scattering the fertilizing ma-.

terial held as aforesaid.

, 4. An apparatusfor use in preparing soil for cultivation, said device comprising means for holding fertilizing material, in the form of a hollow mass, below the surface of the soil, and also comprising means,

I located withinthehollow mass aforesaid,

for causing an explosion and to scatter said fertilizing material,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

nnio iauensr oLnT.

Washington, 20.0." 

